Say Uncle
by Ziggurat Rolsovitch
Summary: Katara has been kidnapped, not by pirates, not by Zhao... not by Zuko? but by... wait a minute... let me look at the script, '"flips through pages, makes weird face"' Iroh? What could Iroh possible want to kidnap Katara for! He must have a reason. Right?


Title: **Say Uncle**  
Category: Cartoons » Avatar: Last Airbender  
Author: Kashim Kururugi  
Language: English, Rating: Rated: T  
Genre: Angst/Romance  
Published: 01-30-11, Updated: 02-14-11  
Chapters: 4, Words: 5,519

Disclaimer: I do not own this show. Cheese and crackers people.

I know what you're thinking. Uncle? But, yeah. He did. But just what is the devious old man up to? You'll see…

* * *

**Chapter 1: Chapter 1**

* * *

Katara was thinking back on the past few days in annoyance. She had been captured by Zuko 'again'. she couldn't stand him now. She hated him for what he did.  
She was irritated as she gathered some firewood, she had been thinking and didn't noticed until too late that someone was sneaking up on her.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and gasped, jumping backwards and dropping the wood she worked so hard to pick up, but the one who had caught her off guard was not who she'd have imagined.

"Iroh?" she asked confused. "What are you doing here? Where' your stupid Nephew?"

"Not here."

"So why are you hear?"

"My Nephew… is dying. I need you to heal him."

"I can't help him. I'm sorry."

"Come. Let us discuss it over tea." Iroh said. His eyes had saddened. And so Katara had sat down with the old man and they sat, having tea. She didn't know why she bothered, but Iroh had always been nice enough to her.

"So why are you here?" She asked finally, taking a sip of the tea.

"Forgive me dear, but I am here to kidnap you," Iroh said.

"What?" She asked loudly and then she felt woozy and looked down at the tea. He drugged her! Her vision went blurry and all of a sudden it all went black.

Iroh caught the young girl before she fell and picked her up carefully, then he headed back to the ship. Slowly in sleep Katara remembered the first time she had been captured by Zuko. Every event that led up to this. She should have seen it coming.

* * *

**Chapter 2: Chapter 2**

* * *

(Past)

Katara had been practicing Waterbending when she heard a voice. She hadn't heard the footsteps at all.

"The Avatar's Waterbender," She turned at the voice. It was Zuko. "Tell me… is he close by?"

"Zuko!" She moved to a somewhat shaky fighting stance. His eyes widened in surprise that she'd fight him alone, but then he drew up his own fighting stance.

"You can't fight me alone. You'll fail. Like last time," He said surly. "Call the Avatar."

"No. I won't lead him out here to be captured by you."

"Yes, you will." He replied, and shot fire at her. She quickly took water from the lake and blocked. She had enough water to fend him off.

He stared at her and then tried his tactics like he had last time, but she blocked both puffs of fire.

"That's not going to work this time you stupid jerk!" She yelled at him and watched his shock at 'her' lose of temper. She was smug about it though.

"Ah!" He yelled in frustration and attacked again, but she just blocked it. That's enough, he shot another bit of fire at her and waited for her to block with water. She blocked and it created steam she couldn't see through until she found the shadow that tackled her to the ground.

She struggled against him, but he grabbed both her wrist in one hand and leaned down towards her.

"Let go you jerk!"

"Call him," Zuko said and tightened his grip. She refused and his temper grew. "I know you're afraid of me… and unless you want me to hurt you, you'll call him."

"Do your worst you-"

"Enough!" He ordered when he'd had enough insolence. She kneed him in the stomach and he grunted in pain and his grip loosened slightly. She took the chance and kneed him in the groin. "Ah!" He let go and winced.

She pushed him off her and moved to make a run for it before he grabbed her again. Now she had no chance of kneeing him because he had gotten her down with her front to the ground. He grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder.

She hit his back several times, but the black armor let it not effect him and she just ended up hurting her fists. She still struggled.  
He may have her trapped, but that didn't mean she had to make it easy. She could feel how hot he was through his clothes and her struggling only proved to make it worse, because she made him angrier.

She saw the ship in the distance and struggled even more. His superior strength and build made her efforts useless. She sighed and gave up.

"Much better." He said in relief. He had been trying not to trip with all her squirming and he was sure his knee would be a mass of bruising from her kicking him.

He walked up onto the ship and heard a few whispers between his men and then his Uncle looked over and sighed in exasperation.

"Prince Zuko what have you done this time?" Iroh asked.

"I've captured the Avatar's Waterbender," Zuko said triumphantly. Iroh thought, that you couldn't wipe the smile from the boy's face with a mop.

"I'm not 'The Avatar's Waterbender' I have a name," Katara argued from over his shoulder. He huffed and headed down below the ship and opened a door.  
Great, she thought. Now she was really trapped. He dropped her onto the bed and closed the door, locking it before he moved to the corner of the room and dropped into the chair.

His eyes widened as he glanced towards the vase in the corner of the room and she looked over, ah-ha. He hadn't removed all the water!

She bent the water into ice and threw it at him just as he stood. There was a thud and then he stilled and looked down. She watched his lips twitch with anger. The ice had gone right through his boot and probable into his foot.

She winced herself. She could practically feel his pain as he reached down and jerked the ice from his boot and threw it across the room, she felt the heat of him as he approached her.

"Don't do that ever again. Or next time you'll regret it." His voice was thick with warning and somewhere in there laced with pain. He limped out of the room and slammed the door behind him.

She waited a few moments and then quickly moved to the door and struggled to open it. Finding it was locked. She sighed and groaned in frustration, but then glanced towards the window. Nope. Too small to escape from. She was trapped.

XxXxX

"Uncle! I need the medic!" Zuko yelled, steam practically leaking from the collar of his uniform.

"What now?" Iroh asked.

"She iced my foot. Right through the boot. And pretty much all the way through. Where's the medic?"

"Out gathering supplies. You will have to wait."

"Fine…" Zuko said in annoyance.

"No… no need to wait…" Iroh said then with a thought.

XxXxX

Katara looked up at the door that had happened and saw the old man, Zuko's Uncle.

"Miss… I need your assistance. My Nephew is badly injured and could use some help since the medic is away."

"Why should I help your Nephew?"

"Well… he could die."

She sighed and pressed her hands over her eyes then looked up at him.

"Alright…" She got up from her place on the bed and went with Iroh, who for one smiled. They got into the infirmary and the firebender glared at her.

"Uncle… why did you let her out of the room? She could escape!"

"Oh, yeah! Because I'm really going to jump into the ocean and swing God only knows how far to get back."

"Please…" Iroh cut in. "Perhaps… we could settle this over tea?"

"Uncle I don't want tea and I don't want that Waterbender's help!" He yelled.

"Fine," Katara said in annoyance. "Be in pain."

"You're the one who did it!"

"Good!"

Iroh sighed then and left the room. This would be an interesting day, or however long it took for the Avatar and the girl's brother to come get her.

The two sat in a stare down until finally the Firebender let out an exasperated sigh.

"Fine, fine… just… don't touch it." He said.

"If I need to heal it then I have to touch it."

"Oh, fine!"

"Who knew the Prince of the Fire Nation would be such a…"

"I am not!"

XxXxX

(Present)

Katara woke up slowly on the ship. Wow. She thought. She really had a headache. Then she looked up and saw Iroh, he had an apologetic smile on his face.  
Sure, apologize for drugging her tea, she thought sarcastically.

"I know how angry you are with him, but please… he is very sick," Iroh said. "I'm afraid he'll die."

"I'll… I'll see what I can do," Katara told him and then followed him to the room that held the injured Firebender. She was surprised… he really was sick. "How long has he been like this?"

"About a day after you left… after…"

"The soldier…"

"Yes," Iroh answered. "He won't wake up."

"I'm sorry… I thought… I just… I didn't know it was really this bad. If I had known I would have helped. It's just… I figured after last time it wasn't that bad."

"It's alright. I understand. It was my mistake, Ms. Katara," Iroh said. "I failed… to save one son… but… I refuse to lose this one."

She looked up at the old General. His eyes were weary and sad, and it broke her heart to see this man in pain. He had called Zuko his son and she wondered if he knew. It broke her heart to see Zuko in pain too, but she would never admit it.

"I promise I'll do everything I can to help him."

"Thank you…" Iroh said gratefully. He left the room slowly, closing the door and she thought she saw tears in the old man's eyes.

She turned her attention back to Zuko and found that he looked like he'd been through a forest full of angry basilisk lizards. She brushed his hair back from his eyes and sighed.

"I'm sorry."

She though back again at how this all got the way it is, and she couldn't help the guilt she felt. This was partly her fault. if she hadn't run off on him he wouldn't be in this condition.

* * *

**Chapter 3: Chapter 3**

* * *

(Past)

After healing his injured foot he still was annoyed, because after all she had been the one to throw the ice spike into his foot in the first place.

She watched him sulking in the chair in the corner of the room. He had once again locked her in with him.

"I'm not going to tell you where Aang is," Katara told him firmly.

"Um-hm… sure. I've got all day anyway. And it's going to end one of two ways… you give in and tell me where the Avatar is or he comes to rescue you and I capture him then."

"In your dreams. It's going to end with him beating you up and us escaping."

"In 'your' dreams, Waterbender," Zuko replied dryly.

"Idiot."

"Wench."

"Dupe."

"Uncouth."

"Whelp."

"Witless."

Iroh sighed at the door. "Please… must there be name calling as well? Prince Zuko, you know better then to call a woman names," Iroh scolded.

"Uncle, what now?"

"I thought our guest might like some tea." he walked over and handed Katara a cup and she thanked him, then he stepped forward towards Zuko. "Would you like some Nephew?"

Zuko sighed, but took a cup from the tray anyways. Iroh retreated hastily for an old man. Even Zuko seemed surprised at the speed of his Uncle. Katara watched him take a drink from the cup before he it set it down. She smirked. He wouldn't see it coming if she bent the tea.

She was pretty much trapped out here with him. There was a thud from above deck and he glanced up with a look of annoyance. This could be a chance… just as she made a move he glanced back down and she had to fake the move with a stretch to get rid of his suspicion.

XxXxX

It had gotten dark, and slowly, but surly the Firebender had fallen into sleep. She waited for a few moment before she got up and snuck to the door. Locked. Darn it! She thought and as she turned back she caught the glint in the firelight on the dresser against the far wall.

She moved quietly and picked up the weapon, a knife with words that she couldn't read in this light. It could work, but could she go through with it?

Glanced at the still sleeping Firebender she moved quietly and pressed the knife against his throat. He didn't make a move, was he still asleep?  
It would make it easier… she didn't have to look at him, but he looked so innocent in sleep. Come on, come on, she told herself. It would be easier without Zuko chasing Aang, but… could she really kill him?

She couldn't. she couldn't do it, she couldn't go through with it. She was about to pull away when he grabbed the hand that held the knife. He pulled it right against his throat and she met his eyes to find he was awake.

"What are you waiting for Waterbender?" He asked. She would have thought he'd be afraid right now, but his eyes showed not a hint of fear. "Well?"

His grip tightened over hers and the knife drew a few drops of blood, he didn't even show pain when she knew it must have hurt.

"Stop!" She yelled finally as she saw the blood beginning to run, she dropped the knife, but he grabbed her and pulled her closer to him and kissed her. She wasn't sure what to do or say, only think that he tasted like jasmine tea.

She finally managed to brake his hold and backed to the other side of the room and he just shifted in the chair and went back to sleep.

"Don't try that again," He warned first. He had known, he felt the second the cold metal touched his skin that she had been planning to kill him. It wouldn't work, because he knew she didn't have it in her to take another's life.

She could only sit on the bed at the other side of the room and stare at the Firebender who had just kissed her.

XxXxX

The next day he still sat in the damn chair and waited. Waited for her to give up and tell where the Avatar was. They were both aware though, that she wouldn't say a word.  
So instead he would have to wait until the Avatar came to get her and then they would see who was right.

He 'should' have been focusing on the Avatar… instead here his mind was distracted by the Waterbender. And he wondered what she did to him last night. He knew she tried to kill him, but he was wondering now why the hell he kissed her.

That was all he could think about. Like a damn cloud over his mind so he couldn't think about anything else and it was driving him insane!

Finally she stood and he was up in half the time it took her. She stared at him in surprise.

"I need to get up or I'm going to die of boredom," Katara told him, trying to quill the bit of fear she felt when he stood to his full height in front of her.

"You're not going anywhere."

"You can't stop me, besides where would I go?"

"It's dangerous."

"Dangerous? Please," She pushed past him, but he grabbed her arm.

"I'm serious."

"No."

His grip tightened. "Didn't your Mother teach you 'any' manners?"

She slapped him hard across the face and if caused him to release her. She hit him right in the scarred side and the pain was horrible. He felt tears coming to his eye, he wasn't going to cry, but it had sure hurt.  
She walked away from him then and he sighed in annoyance and sat back down.

He waited awhile, but then something struck him. She had just taken off on a ship full of men. Alone.

"Oh, damnit!" He yelled.

XxXxX

She had felt like crying after what Zuko had said. She knew he hadn't meant it. That he didn't really know, but it still hurt. She wouldn't cry here.

She ended up in a room somewhere and just as she was going to turn and leave, but found a large man blocking the doorway. Ah, damnit.  
She realized now what Zuko had meant when he said it was dangerous. She looked around, hoping to find some water. Somewhere. Anywhere.

XxXxX

He moved through the hallways and sighed in annoyance as he looked down corridors and into the rooms. Where had that Waterbender run off to?

XxXxX

She looked around the room, but found nothing that could aid in escape.

"Well, well… looks like the Captain has a little friend aboard," He said in a deep voice. The huge furnace was the only light in the room. And it made this man look very scary. "I wonder… what you're doing here… all alone."

"Kiro… what are you doing?" They both looked to the source of the voice, finding Zuko. One was relieved and one was enraged.

"Why don't you just give me a minute alone with the girl, Captain?" The man named Kiro asked.

"No. Don't force me to do this," Zuko warned, but this man was not afraid, but then, neither was Zuko.

"Then I'll make time." In seconds before the Firebender could respond to the mad man he had slammed him into the wall.

This man was a good six inches taller and was built like a tank. She knew that Zuko had no chance unless he could use firebending.

Kiro barred the door and then jumped over the downed Firebender.

"Captain?" A voice came from the other side of the door. "Captain? Prince Zuko are you alright?"

"I've wanted to crush your head like an ant for a long time now," Kiro said and smashed the back of his head into the metal floor, several times as the banging on the door got louder and more men were calling.  
"Does it hurt little Firebender?"

She felt like she should be doing something. Should be helping, but she couldn't move. The man bashed his head again and she watched the life fade from the Firebender.

She heard the big man gasped then and he stood up and backed off, she thought he'd won, but she found that before blacking out Zuko had stabbed the large man in the stomach, he backed up and his uniform caught fire from the furnace.

The door melted with the assistance of one of Zuko's firebenders and they ran into the room. She wasn't entirely sure what was going on as she was led out.

Later she watched the men lead Zuko into the room, only supported with an arm around his shoulder. They helped him sit on the bed and retreated from the room.

"I'm sorry…" She said quickly, but he didn't acknowledge it.

"Leave," He said.

"What?"

"We're docked. Get off my ship. The Avatar is around here somewhere. Now get."

"But-"

"I said leave!"

XxXxX

(Present)

And that had been the last time she spoke with him. After he saved her from that soldier. She wondered if he was mad at her.

She watched him move slightly and then hoped that she had taken care of the concussion correctly. He stared at he for awhile… it took him a long time before he realized it was her.

"What are you doing back here?" He asked and tried to sit up, but it was useless.

"I came back, because your Uncle kidnapped me," He was totally confused now. "And because you were sick."

"Wha… how long have I been out?"

"Four days."

"That long." He said… and she watched as he sighed heavily. "I… just… made you leave… because I was afraid I couldn't protect you here. Nothing personal you understand."

"I thought you were mad at me…" She had felt hurt, but him saying he wasn't made her feel better, which… made her wonder… why did she care?

"I was never mad. Just… scared."

"You? Scared?" It was sarcastic.

"Yes." he said and grasped her hand.

"Remind me to thank your Uncle."

"Remind 'me' to thank my Uncle. But… uh… you still… need to leave." She was stunned. He just told her to leave again, but he smiled then. "We will meet again, Waterbender."

She nodded as she stood and turned to the door. She gave him one last soft smile as she closed it behind her.

XxXxX

The End


End file.
